


Meet Me at Stagedoor

by bigcitydreamer98



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-22 02:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3711127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigcitydreamer98/pseuds/bigcitydreamer98
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stagedoor Woods is the most prestigious camp for young, up and coming artists. They have programs for everything, from photography to musical theater. Beca and Jesse have been attending the camp for years, a rivalry increasingly growing each summer. Despite their constant arguing and death stares across the mess hall, will they ever find a common ground or even something more?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She tossed her bags over her shoulder, repositioning the straps so they laid on the center of her shoulder blades. Looking back at the masses of other kids that were flocking off the busses and towards the cabins, Beca pushed her headphones up upon her ears and let the music flood over every inch of her body.

Crossing her arms, she turned against the breeze coming at her through the treetops to avoid a possible chill. She maneuvered her way around the mountains of duffle bags and mobs of parents. Beca looked at the corner of her eyes to see mothers and fathers dabbing their tears as they hugged their child for the last time. Beca scrunched up her nose, remembering how her parents used to do the same thing all those years ago when they were dropping her off at this exact camp.

Now, the last person Beca saw before venturing off into countless weeks many miles from home, was the bus driver who Beca believed to be partially blind on account of the many missed turns and inability to stay in the correct lane. With a nod, the bus driver had speeded away, missing the massive tree up ahead by just an inch or so. So, there, Beca had been left with a an armful of bags and no escape route.

Maybe she was exaggerating; it wasn't so bad. Actually, camp had always been sort of a haven for Beca. The first year she arrived at the camp, Stagedoor Woods, it was her only escape from her parents' fights. At night, she heard the sounds of cicadas and the hushed breaths of her fellow cabinmates and not her father's fists banging against the table or her mother's sobs. Instead of hiding in her bedroom closet all day, trying to block out the screaming and the yelling, at camp Beca was able to sing her heart out and play with computers until it was dark.

Increasing the volume of her phone, Beca drowned out the sounds of happiness and hysteria that was always so equally mixed on the first day. Without a word to anyone she disappeared on the pathway, paved with a bed of wood chips. Walking through the trees, trying not to fall on branches or protruding rocks, Beca's eyes scanned the area until she saw the cabin. Her cabin.

It was further away than any other cabin, but Beca loved not being bothered by the blasting pop music from radios or whispered cabin talks about the cutest guys. It was perfect, not too close and not too far. She pushed the cabin door open with the side of her shoulder, on account of the phone and bags that were occupying her arms. Immediately she was met with the arms of another girl, whom she already could tell the identity.

"Chloe," Beca laughed, "If you hug me any tighter I'm going to choke to death." The other girl returned her comment with a smile as she released her arms from around the petite brunette. The cabin was already clustered with duffle bags and articles of clothing strewn in every open spot. Windows on the sides of the cabin were open, blowing in a slight breeze that pulled Beca's hair away from her face ever so slightly.

Beca tossed her stuff on the side of the bed towards the right of the room. It was an unspoken rule that that bed was always Beca's. It had been that way since the first year she was a camper.

"I've missed you so much," Chloe said, "And you're so bad at answering texts!" Chloe used her arms for emphasis, but Beca knew that she was already forgiven. Grasping Beca's hands in her own, Chloe ushered the young brunette outside towards the mess hall. Campers were already congregating there, forming the cliques that would remain intact for the rest of the summer.

You could already tell which program each camper was part of at first sight. The musical theater students were singing along to Glee, mimicking show choir dance moves. In the corner, the musicians were having a jam session on all their instruments while a percussion player was maintaining a steady beat. The photographers were on the ground, trying to find the perfect angle to capture the scene and over by the food line were the dancers, clad in leotards and pointe shoes. Other groups were just funneling in from outside, after securing their beds and meeting up with their old friends.

Beca grabbed an apple from one of the baskets that were rigged up to the ceiling. Throwing it up and down in the air, catching it with ease, she locked eyes with Him. Drawing in a quick intake of breath, she spun around and walked the other way. Chloe, raising her eyebrows in question, looked over to the group Beca had just seen, realizing the problem and following her friend as they found seats on the opposite side of the mess hall.

Why was he here? Couldn't he have let her have a summer without him, without the smirk always plastered on his face? Him and his stupid posse that followed his every move and conceded to his every whim.

The two of them were the camp's longest attending campers, starting camp all those years ago. Throughout the numerous summers that came and went, campers trickled in and then many of them trickled out, but Beca and Jesse had remained. Even though on the outside it might've looked like nothing had changed, if you looked closer you could see the small differences of young Beca and Jesse and now older Beca and Jesse.

Jesse still slept on the same bed he had slept in all those summers ago, but now his legs almost hung off the ends whereas years ago he hardly took up half of it. Beca's headphone size slowly increased as she got more used to closing off the world. The main thing that grew over the years was their hatred of one another.

It all started at a riff off when Beca and Jesse were about 11 years old. The camp director had come up with the idea, hoping that all the kids would enjoy it, and most of them enjoyed it too much. Beca and Jesse had never really talked until that day of the riff off and afterwards, all they exchanged were death stares and huffed breaths.

Jesse had been trying to impress his fellow campers. He was easily one of the youngest campers that year, except for Beca. Stagedoor Woods was a prestigious summer camp for only the most serious of young artists. Big celebrities had slept in the same cabins they did now and everytime they went to sleep, all campers hoped that someday their name would be plastered to the wall of fame. Jesse, smaller than the other children, but not lacking in talent, had decided to put himself out there. He knew that if he ever wanted to get anywhere in the industry, he had to start by making other people notice him and he was ready to win this thing.

Straightening his t-shirt and practicing his scales, Jesse had been prepared to show everyone that he wasn't just the runt. He had pure talent and he wanted to be recognized for it. He was doing pretty well, hitting all the right notes and making the crowd cheer until She came along.

Beca was angry, actually she was more than angry. Her parents had just called her, explaining to her how they were getting a divorce. Why they couldn't have waited until the end of the summer to drop this bomb on her, she didn't know. All that she knew was that she was angry and she needed to do something about it.

Walking back from the pay phone, fists clenched and tears held back, Beca watched the scene in front of her. In the middle of the campground was a group of campers, singing at each other like a duel, voices blending while some rose above others. Beca, coming up to watch them, realized what everyone was doing and decided to take part in it herself.

She ran up to the boy who was singing, stealing the words that were about to come out of his mouth. Everyone around her gasped as her clear voice rang out through the forest, a silence to fall over the campers. The boy, tousling his brown hair, waited a moment, staring at her in awe, before rebutting her lyrics with his own.

Now there was fire in her eyes, burning away the tears that were threatening to fall. She wasn't weak. She was Beca Mitchell and she could handle anything, even her parents' divorce. She concentrated on the words the boy was singing, racking her brain until she found the perfect song. Making eye contact with him, raising her eyebrows challengingly, she ran up to him, inches away from his face and started to sing.

They went on like that, trying to prove their talent more to themselves than anybody else. Jesse watched as the girl sang, her voice clear and strong as her eyes shot daggers at him. He didn't understand why she was so angry, but all he knew was that he wanted to win. It got to a point where they weren't just singing by themselves, but they were singing on top of each other's voice, entwining the sounds until they became one.

All of a sudden, his voice cracked, issuing the gasps of people around the circle. The spell was broken with an obvious, victorious winner. Beca smiled triumphantly, taking in the applause that almost hid the way her heart was breaking. So what if her parents split up, Beca didn't care.

Jesse, on the other hand, turned beet red, running off to his cabin. The next day, the rivalry had officially begun. The glares began to start between them, holding each other's gaze until one of the gave up. Everything between them became a competition and continued to be for years.

The trumpet sounded, signifying the start of some activity, and also pulling Beca out of her flashback. Tossing out the core of her apple, Beca began to make her way outside, passing by Jesse and the rest of his group. Chloe quickly followed her lead, pushing the door open with one of her hands.

"It's going to be an interesting summer, Swanson," Beca called after him. Jesse's head turned as he took a step towards her.

Jesse's eyes met her own as he responded, "Oh, just you wait, Mitchell." Winking at her, he turned around and made his way outside, Chloe and Beca following a few paces behind.


	2. Chapter 2

One thing Beca absolutely despised about the camp was that stupid trumpet player that woke everyone up each morning. If she could, she would’ve broke that trumpet into two without a second glance. No, she wasn’t getting up. She was going to sleep until the sun was actually up in the sky, when there’s no line at the lunch counter and the younger campers are all out of her way. Beca Mitchell was going to go back to bed and no one was going to wake her up. 

She was an older camper now, didn’t she deserve some time to herself? It was only fair and probably only safe for the future of the world if they let Beca sleep. 

She disregarded the door opening and closing, not even bothering to look at the intruder, “Chloe, leave me alone. Go find someone else to bother.” The brief flash of light from outside hurt Beca’s eyes who rolled over in annoyance. Beca took one of the pillows on the side of her and stuffed it on the sides of her ears, “Chloe if you say one word I will never watch Bridesmaids with you again.” Now that was a big threat for her. Chloe, if anything, loved to watch chick flicks and Beca loved to try to wriggle her way out of them. The only one Beca would watch was Bridesmaids because she understood their humor. Beca Mitchell was a serious SNL fan. 

“Mitchell, I never knew how much of a morning person you were,” the voice teased, coming closer to her. Beca groaned as she tried to melt into the mattress with no such luck. Feeling his warm breath on the side of her neck, her breath hitched. What was he doing? “We’re on breakfast duty, get your ass out of bed,” he whispered, chuckling as he left. 

“Get out of my room, Swanson,” Beca said as she chucked a pillow at him, missing by an inch. She would have to get better at that. Grumbling while making her way towards the bathroom, still holding a blanket around her shoulders like a cape, Beca did her best to untangle her rat’s nest of hair and brush her teeth without dropping the blanket. She was a genius and a multitasker. She should add those skills to her resume, but she did have to work on her pillow tossing aim. 

Still adjusting to the light, she threw high waisted shorts and a camp t-shirt tied in the back before making her way outside. Her hair was tied in a loose braid, strands of hair sticking out here and there. Even though if you saw her you would think she looked pretty normal, on the inside she was sleeping. Beca Mitchell was and never would be a morning person. 

Pushing past kids with smiles on their faces and plates in their grubby little hands, Beca opened the door wide open to get into the kitchen. Jesse, serving pancakes, winked at her before returning to his job. Grabbing a pair of tongs, she started to dish out scrambled eggs. Really, the first day? Why were they always picked to be on kitchen duty together? Actually she knew the reason. Since they were the longest attending campers, the director of the camp felt like they knew the ropes more than everyone else. They also knew how to annoy each other more than anyone else. 

Before long, her eyes opened wider and her movements were not as sluggish. Her bowl of eggs were almost completely finished and there was still a line of people awaiting their breakfast. 

“Hey, Beca, babe, hit me up with some of those,” the guy in front of her called, his plate already full enough to feed a small army. She recognized him from her acting class last year, Brad was it? He was one of those people that did one community theater production and they think they’re George Clooney. She couldn’t stand people like him. Rolling her eyes, Beca replied, “Sorry, Brad. You’re too late.” 

Right when she was about to turn around and return to washing the dishes, he said, “I know how you could repay me. Sneak away with me during the campfire tonight? We’ll have a good time.” 

Beca laughed out loud, causing Brad to recoil in disbelief, “Is that your idea of flirting? Going with you is almost as bad as going with Swanson. Take your food and get out.” Even though Jesse gave her a look when he heard his name called out, he let out a chuckle as he saw Brad scurry away, tail between his legs. Good for her. Jesse never liked Brad anyways, always ruining all performances and trying to be the center of attention. 

Chloe, walking up to Beca with her plate full of fruit and a cup of cereal, gave Beca a high five before turning into the kitchen to talk with her while the rest of the camp cleared out of the mess hall. “Good job, B,” Chloe said, munching on her cereal, “Finally someone gave him what he deserved.”

Between chews, Chloe managed to get out, “You know classes are starting today, not tomorrow. They’re doing everything early this year. Keener’s class.”

Beca’s eyebrows raised at the name. She had been here for years and that teacher was never mentioned. Must be new. Hopefully he or she wouldn’t make them do cardio like last year’s teaching assistant, Aubrey had made them do. Even though Beca could now, almost flawlessly, run up and down the amphitheater steps without falling over and breaking her ankle, she still got chills when she thought of that blonde haired dictator. 

Jesse had never had to suffer the wrath of Aubrey because all the older guys got placed with Bumper, who was a self proclaimed star even though all he ever really did was order the guys mexican food and buy a hot tub to be placed near the boys’ cabins. Jesse had been extra smug that year. 

Jesse appeared from behind Beca, walking towards them, “Where’s that class again? My schedule said the by the docks but it was never held there before.” Great. He was going to be in class with her. After pulling a few strings and putting on her bitchy face, Beca had been able to switch out of classes previous years when Jesse and Beca were in it together. Being around each other was one thing, but competing with each other was another thing. The camp director even understood how hazardous the situation was, even going as far as to change the schedule up herself so they were never placed in a class together. Guess this class slipped her mind. 

Beca’s eyes narrowed as she watched Jesse savor her reaction, “You are going down, Swanson.” He just shrugged his shoulders, rolling up his sleeves to start washing the dishes, “Only if you’ll be there.”  
Beca grumbled before turning and leaving with Chloe before Swanson irritated her too much.


	3. Chapter 3

The theater was packed by the time the trumpet sounded at 9:00. By the second, students piled in the glass, double doors, taking seats in the chairs lining the room. Since only the students entering senior year or had just finished senior year were allowed to attend this class, there were roughly about forty students in attendance. All the younger campers were blocked off to be part of craft time and go horseback riding and all those other unnecessary activities, while the older students possessed schedules that were packed to the brink with intensive master classes, only for the best.

Weeks prior, each older camper had to audition for their spot. Actually, all the students had to audition, no matter their ages, but only when they reached almost mastery were they judged by professionals in the industry. 

The theater was nice, small but a theater none the less. It didn’t matter much since all the performances were held at the amphitheater for everyone to see. Chairs lined the walls, and all the natural light from outside was blocked by the curtains that draped over the windows. The woman at the front of the stage stood pacing the floor, her moves calculated and her chin held up high.

"Welcome everyone to performance studies. I'm Miss Keener, pleasure to meet you. You have already proven yourself as artists, surpassing all the hundreds of others that have auditioned for your spot,” she paused before pushing her glasses closer to her face, staring down each and every member of the audience, judging their body language to their visual cues with only one glance. There was a few gasps at her name, recognizing her from the front of broadway playbills and movie credits. After receiving the highest honors the business had to offer, Miss Keener decided to pay her old camp a visit, carrying the title of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner behind her.

“Now the goal here is not to just have an easy summer, sitting by the lake and working on your tan. If you came to this camp to have fun, pack your bags right now. By the time this is over, you will be ready to enter the industry and if you aren't, you will never be." 

The house lights were brought up as each face, still as statues as they tried to avoid their piercing glare, as Miss Keener examined each one of them. Her eyes squinted as she surveyed her first victim. "You," she said as she pointed to Bumper who was texting in the back of the room, "Sing."

Bumper looked like he was about to laugh, the corners of his lips turning upwards, "I'm not a student." 

Before he could turn back down to finish his text, Miss Keener was already striding towards him, "Then act, put on a show. Dance, paint, play an instrument, pretend to be a monkey for all I care. Just do something, now."

Shying away from her glare, Bumper started to sing his first note. His eyes didn’t meet hers as he tried to hide his phone behind his back. He didn’t even get to finish his first word before Miss Keener screeched, "Stop! Hasn’t anyone ever taught you proper posture. You can’t sing if you don’t have proper breath support. Get off your phone or get out of this class...and don’t come back." Behind her, students raised their eyebrows at their friends, cautioning all others to remain quiet.

Bumper, taken aback, walked out the double doors, pausing as he saw a girl rush in. She tried to avoid drawing any attention but she was too late and was already the center of attention.

"You, there," Ms. Keener bellowed, "Sing." Beca didn't know what to do. Why do these things always happen to her. Jesse was being an idiot, like always, and was putting the dishwasher on while forgetting to use the dish soap. It took them an extra half an hour to finish everything. She couldn't wait to see the look on his smug, little face when he got called out for being late as well. He was going to be here any minute. 

Beca narrowed her eyes at the lady in front of her. She recognized that sly smile and the way she carried herself. She knew the name rung a bell when Chloe had mentioned her before. Miss Keener wasn’t supposed to be the one teaching them this year; it was supposed to be Maxwell Evans like it always had been. He loved Beca like his own daughter and she couldn’t have been happier to have him as a teacher. 

Miss Keener crossed her arms in front of her chest, her face taut with the tension in her muscles. So if that’s the way she wanted to play it, fine. Beca was up for a challenge. She let the first notes ring out of her mouth, singing the melody to Titanium by heart. The words flew out without her even realizing the lights had once again dimmed and the spotlight was on her. Finishing the last note, looking Miss Keener straight in the eye, Beca smirked as the room erupted and applause. 

Everyone at camp knew Beca. They probably would never speak to her since she was never the easiest person to strike up a conversation with at random, but it wasn’t like people didn’t know her name. Most of the campers had been coming for years, but no one had been coming as long as Beca and Jesse. Whether they started attending when Beca and Jesse were already sixteen or were only in elementary school, everyone knew who they were. They would usually have the most responsibilities when the shows began and the summer came to a close or they would be the ones that stood out in a crowd, giving out jobs to all the other campers because they had been doing the same things for years. 

Apart from those interactions, everyone knew Beca and Jesse from whenever they would sing. From a young age, the two of them stood out from everyone else, their voices more trained and their dancing more precise. Their scales were always perfect and they would never shy away from being asked to take center stage to show the other campers what was expected of them. 

It was no surprise Beca’s melodic voice was easily much too superior for her age or that she sung the song perfectly, but it was still a treat to hear her sing. Most of the time now, she was just hunched over her laptop screen and not at the microphone. The other students looked from Beca’s satisfied face to the look of astonishment that was etched on Miss Keener’s face even though she was trying to hide it. 

Beca wasn’t backing down. Her blue eyes pierced through the auditorium, challenging Miss Keener. The teacher clearly picked the wrong person to call out. Really, out of everyone attending this seminar, what was the likelihood of choosing one of the most talented students to challenge? Finally, she was the one to first look away, going on with her lesson as Beca took a seat in the front row. 

Beca just smirked as Chloe gave her a proud smile from the other side of the room. Miss Keener was now lecturing on and on about schedules and classes and whatnot when Beca heard the seat next to her move slightly as a body slid in the seat. 

“So, what’d I miss,” Jesse said, his eyes still on Miss Keener as she paced the stage. Beca could hardly believe him, turning her body away from him. “You gotta love back doors,” Jesse whispered in her ear, a grin dancing on his face. Beca wanted to punch him.


	4. Chapter 4

The sun reflected off her fair skin, bouncing in every direction. Closing her eyes and laying her head back, using her towel as a pillow, Beca attempted to fall asleep. Finally, after working for hours upon hours on projecting her voice and memorizing lines and doing whatever she was told to do, classes were finally over. Sometimes she wished she could just take music classes, but as you got older the camp wanted to create diverse artists that had skills in every area. Luckily, she had been able to switch into primarily music classes with a few acting classes here and there. 

Now that all the younger campers had scurried off to the mess hall to pig out on whatever had been laid on the tables, Beca finally had a chance to be by herself. This was her favorite part of the day. Many times she would bring a playlist of all her new mixes so she could listen to them with fresh ears, finding problem areas to tweak later back at her cabin. Other times she would bring her lunch down, munching on an apple and cracking open some pistachios, but today she just wanted to sleep. Chloe was off doing who knows what, probably choreographing some new dance in the studio like she always seemed to be doing. She would be gone for another good hour or so, Beca had the brilliant idea of catching up on some sleep. Even on school days she slept in later, but that was probably on account of her number of absences to first period calculus. These early waking hours were getting more brutal every year.

The sand tickled her feet and the sounds of the waves crashing on the short acted as her personal sleep inducer. Turning off her phone so she wouldn’t be distracted, she buried her toes in the dampness and concentrated on the hushed lull of the water. She could just imagine being off in some empty beach in the Caribbean or something.

She would’ve fallen asleep in an instant if it wasn’t for the sounds of a person wading in the water. Opening one eye, she managed to catch a glimpse of a boy pulling his shirt over his head, the lines of his abs clearly defined. 

“Like what you see, Mitchell,” Jesse said, giving her a wide smile as she scoffed in disgust, “It’s hard not to.” He turned towards her, his chest clearly visible. It was harder than she thought to divert her eyes, but she managed to do so after a few, prolonged seconds. Before he knew it, she was back to her own, sarcastic self. 

“Oh, yeah. The view’s amazing. I know what you mean, but there is this one part that’s kinda ruining it. Do you think you could, I don’t know, move a little bit out of the way, Swanson?” She was now sitting up, matching his gaze. With a sly smile, Jesse came towards her, his arms open wide. Beca, realizing his evil plan, had already jumped to her feet, brushing the sand off her legs. 

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, her finger wagging in his face. She could feel the goosebumps already popping up from just thinking about his drenched body around hers. Beca was comfortable on the warm sand, heating up her body all the light rays bounced off the ground. Her warning fell on deaf ears because Jesse wrapped his arms around her petite frame, droplets of water dripping down his exposed body. 

Beca shivered at his touch. She convinced herself that it was the cold water rather than him that had this effect on her. As she was about to protest, Jesse picked her up, bridal style, and began walking towards the water. Beca banged her tiny fists on his chest but it was no use because once the water started splashing up to the middle of Jesse’s thighs, he dropped her in the water, her facial expression priceless.

“I’m gonna kill you, Swanson,” she yelled, her hair dripping against her back. Standing on two feet, she splashed him, water dripping off his tufts of hair onto his face. Opening his mouth in surprise, Jesse returned the favor by sending a wave of his own towards her. 

Once they were both fully soaked, she wrung the sides of her t-shirt out before realizing that it was never going to work. Letting out a deep sigh, she pulled the fabric over her head and bunched it up in a tight ball. All the while, Jesse couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Her hair was all disheveled, darkening in color as a result of the water. Pieces fell in the front of her face and he had to fight the urge to push the behind her ear. 

Somehow, even though he hadn’t began to fully realize it until this summer, the pout on her lips looked cuter that he remembered from previous years. Her eyes sparkled more and sometimes he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her own. What was wrong with him? 

Beca, on the other hand, raised her eyebrows when she notice Jesse looking at her, his gaze was somewhere else but definitely not on her eyes. Holding back a laugh, she responded, “I think the real question isn’t whether I like what I see, but do you...and I think the answer is pretty obvious.” 

Jesse shook his head, refocusing his attention. This was Beca Mitchell. I mean, really? Beca Mitchell. Get your thoughts straightened out. This was the girl that stolen his rehearsal time more times than he could count, always standing in the room with a smug look on her face as she continued to practice. Beca was the girl that always took the last chocolate chip cookie from the tray and only offered him a quarter of it. She was the girl that drove him crazy in chorus, making him feel like he was always running to keep up with her continual improvement. Here was the only person that beat him on guitar hero, reclaiming her title everytime he challenged her. 

But, she was also the person whose passion and talent were busting through the walls of this place, begging to reach for bigger and better things that were bound to happen. Beca was the girl that never had a facade in front of him, not afraid to tell him what she really thought. She was the one who stole an extra cookie for him one day when the teacher had been extra hard on him. She was the girl who was starting to more like a woman and less like a girl everyday. 

He must’ve blinked and somehow her long, stringy hair that was always pulled up in a ponytail when she was little transformed into soft, loose curls that hung past her shoulders. Her long, gangly legs had, by some means, become toned and unblemished, exposed every time she wore shorts. Beca Mitchell, as if overnight, was still the Beca Mitchell he had known from years prior but was also someone that Jesse couldn’t help but gawk at sometimes. 

He looked her up and down, noticing the curves of her body that he had never looked at before. He watched the drops of water running down her body from her soaking hair and how little was left to the imagination since she was wearing a bikini top and denim shorts, not saying that he was ever going to try to use his imagination. This was Beca, no, this was Mitchell. What was wrong with him? He should go to the nurse and lay down for a bit.


	5. Chapter 5

He was doing what he always does, once again, but it was no surprise. She could always count on him for knowing how to push her buttons. Beca realized she was short, she always had been, but did he really have to point it out every second of her life? In Jesse’s mind, the answer was yes. 

As a close to the day, the campfire was crackling in the center of rows upon rows of logs and benches. Campers sat around, savoring the beauty of the fire as the flames danced and the smoke drifted to the sky, some far distance away. The darkness was approaching, signaling that night was approaching, but no one was ready to go to bed just yet. The light from the moon as it grew lighter and lighter reflected off the surface of the lake, the flashes of light shimmering on the top layer of the water.

“You could do it, Mitchell. Jump a little higher,” Jesse held the bag of marshmallows over his head, enjoying the fact that Beca was trying her best to grab the bag while jumping to same gain height. A scowl was on her face as she urged her legs to grow the extra distance. He was taller, yes, but it wasn’t like he was a giant; it was just because Beca was pretty much the height of a midget. People marveled that such an explosive personality was wrapped up tightly in her five foot two stature. 

Her arms reached over her head as she jumped up and down with no such luck. Jesse was never going to give in, but when did either of them really give in on anything? 

Between the two of them, they could be in a staring contest for hours on end because neither one of them would forfeit. Actually, last year they bet each other that they could stay silent for the longest and it went on for two weeks, Beca was the one that gave up first because she was being interviewed by the local newspaper for an article on the camp. Otherwise, the other campers were sure the contest would’ve lasted until the end of the summer or even longer. Beca and Jesse were two of the most stubborn people in the world and they just got worse with each other.

Her eyes glinted as she formulated a plan. Edging him towards the stacks of firewood, she quickly stood on a pile of logs and grabbed the bag from his hands before he could defend the sweet treats. With a smirk, she flipped her hair and made her way back towards the camp fire, popping a marshmallow on her tongue and licking her lips. Jesse just rolled his eyes and followed her as she plopped down on a sturdy log close enough to the fire that they could feel the heat warm up their bodies.

“You can’t eat all of them,” he said, reaching for the open bag before Beca moved them out of his reach. “Do you wanna bet,” she challenged him, toasting her marshmallow on the open fire. It wasn’t because she was giving up, she would never, but because she really didn’t feel like stuffing her face with all that sugar, Beca handed him the bag. With a nod of the head, he thanked her.

The sun had already disappeared from the sky, a blanket of darkness covering over the vast atmosphere, getting thicker every second. Beca turned the stick over in her hands, analyzing the color of her marshmallow as it roasted over the flame. It all came down to a science and Beca was pretty sure she had mastered it over the years. There is a specific consistency that needs to be reached to have the perfect marshmallow. A novice could never do it, but Beca was no novice. 

Being careful not to burn it, Beca didn’t even notice Jesse as he pushed her hand down, bring her marshmallow down into the flame. The marshmallow was engulfed in flames, the white outer coating turning charcoaled and burnt. 

“I’m going to kill you, Swanson,” Beca swung to face him. If she was a cartoon character, smoke would be steaming out of her ears and her eyes would be glowing red. Jesse got the exact reaction he was looking for, a smirk on his face as he popped a piece of chocolate in his mouth. 

He really did have a plan to annoy her at every moment of the day. She didn’t know how to escape him, but don’t get her wrong, she had been trying for ages. 

He was just always…..there. He was always in all her classes, hung out wherever she did, and knew every mishap that he knew would push her buttons. It was actually sort of impressive. No one would have the dedication, let alone the time, to learn how to make Beca’s hair stick up on end. He should get a medal or something.

Blowing out the flame on the white, now black, outer coating, Beca smeared the goo on his face. To her dismay, he didn’t pull away in disgust like most people did. Jesse did the opposite, of course he did, licking the sugar off his face, sucking each finger to get the gooey contents off. Why does he have to be so irritating? 

Also, why does he have to have that tiny bit of marshmallow stuck to the side of his lip? If she moved ever so slightly, she could graze her thumb over it and wipe it clean. Beca shook the thought out of her head, resigning to munch on a graham cracker. 

Suddenly, she had a plan that was so devious that she knew it would work. Staring at his eyes, trying to gaze at them as softly as she could without gagging, she leaned in, her head tilting sideways slightly. Jesse was stunned, watching the girl in front of him, who was ready to punch him just seconds ago, move closer to his face. He knew Beca’s attitude could change within mere seconds (just last year they were eating nicely at the mess hall, actually being polite to one another, but within seconds, Beca had flung the remnants of her cereal at him and they had started a full out food war), but she never went this far.

“You have a little something right there,” she whispered, her finger pointing to the edge of his lip, “I can get it.” She liked being evil, her fingers tingling with excitement as she saw Jesse starting to play along.

Jesse’s breath hitched as he felt her warm breath on his skin, sending shivers down his spine. What the hell was she doing and why did he feel like he was paralyzed? His hands felt clammy and his shoulders felt tight. This was Beca, the girl with the unruly hair and death stare that could kill. He shouldn’t want to kiss her, but he did so badly. 

She was going to pull away since they was only millimeters between the two of them. She had it all planned out; she would pull away, watching his mouth open in shock and tell him that’s what he gets for messing with her. It was the perfect plan, until it wasn’t. Maybe she got a little too close or maybe her acting was getting better from all those lessons she had been taking, but the unexpected happened and Beca was as stunned as ever. 

Just as she was about to turn away, a smirk playing on the edges of her mouth, Jesse closed the distance between the two of them. For a second she froze up. Mission abort! Mission abort! But as soon as she felt his hand run through her hair, tingles dancing over every spot he touched, she fell into the kiss, moving in sync with him. 

They forgot they were Beca and Jesse, bitter rivals. They forgot all the hostilities that had for one another and they long history as enemies. 

All he could think about was how soft her face was, her skin without blemishes and her lips as sweet as sugar. He loved the way her body felt against his, the way they fit together almost like a puzzle. She never realized how much she would love playing with his hair, running her hands though the tufts, or how he had really grown out of those younger, awkward years. 

For a minute (actually it might’ve been longer, but who's counting), reality just fell away and left the two of them in its wake, but it could never last forever. The sound of the curfew bell chimed and the two of them broke apart, her eyes opening wide in shock of what they just had done. Staring at Jesse gazing at her and gingerly touching her fingers to her lips, she scurried off to her cabin, her mind racing a mile a minute.

“Beca, wait,” Jesse called, watching her run off. Soon, her figure blended into the darkness, leaving him alone by the fire. Moments ago, he would’ve loved to be by himself, but now, he felt the absence of someone else -of her- and he just wished the seat next to him was full once more.


	6. Chapter 6

She could avoid him. It shouldn’t be that hard, right? So far she might’ve had to go to some extreme measures to hide her presence from him, but all in all, she was doing a great job. Props to her. Beca for the win.

Well first, there was waiting on the breakfast line. After she had ran to her cabin last night, she avoided Chloe even though the redhead definitely knew something was up. Beca’s cheeks were flushed and she didn’t even regard Chloe as she walked into the cabin, letting the door swing shut behind her. Chloe left Beca to her own thoughts, just for that night because the next day Chloe was going to have to interrogate Beca to spill the juicy details. Instead, Chloe stuck to watching her movie, glancing over from time to time at the brunette curled up in a ball at the bottom of her bed.

Breakfast was interesting. Jesse was nonchalantly tossing an apple up and down in his hand, catching it each time, when he saw Beca grabbing a plate. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she had thrown on a random t-shirt. She shouldn’t look good in it; anyone else who wore the same outfit would look like they had just rolled out of bed, but Beca was somehow pulling it off. 

Jesse knew that they two of them had to talk, even though he knew he was going to be at a loss for words when they did come in contact. That was step 2 and right now, Jesse was only on step 1. First, he had to get her to actually talk to him, and that was pretty hard considering she would hardly look at him. 

Jesse pushed past the other people in the line, who had just woken up and moaned around like zombies, making a beeline towards Beca. She was clearly debating whether to grab the Fruit Loops or Honey Nut Cheerios, finally deciding on the colorful cereal. Looking up from the table, she made eye contact with Jesse, who was striding towards her quicker every second, freezing in her spot before ducking out of the line and walking towards the hidden back door in the kitchen, still while holding her package of cereal. 

It wasn’t going to be easy, he knew that for sure. When Beca didn’t want to do something, she didn’t do it. He could remember a few years back when she was told she had to attend at least one dance class to fill the requirements for the year. Dance, not her favorite subject, was not something she was looking forward to everyday. The studios were hot and the lights were too bright. Beca preferred lounging on a couch, listening to music as the soft lights illuminated her DJ board. 

A few classes in, she asked the teacher if she was able to perform the dance correctly that was going to be showcased at the end of the summer, did she have to take the course everyday. With a scoff, the teacher had said yes, not realizing Beca was actually capable of going through with her plan. After a few short rehearsals with some of the other dance students and an hour here and there of some practice during her leisure time, Beca had been able to nail the dance, even securing a solo in the showcase. No one could believe her and sometimes she even doubted how she was able to pull it off.

That’s one of the reasons Jesse knew that he had to outsmart her at her own game. Otherwise, he was never going to get her to sit down and talk with him. She was small, able to hide in tiny places and crouch down behind almost anything. Also, even though she was pint sized, she was fast. Beca was able to dash from one place to another quicker than most people. Jesse was up to the challenge.

She convinced herself that she didn’t need milk in her cereal and she definitely didn’t need a spoon, even if it was because she forgot both things in her effort to hide from Jesse. She grabbed a few of the pieces of cereal with her hand and popped them in her mouth, walking towards her first class. She was late on purpose. This might’ve been the first time she had actually tried to be late. Her other latenesses were because she just ended up late, the reasons always changing. It was a good thing latenesses don’t count because otherwise she would be failing. 

One time she slept through the alarm, but other times she had even better excuses. Jesse was being Jesse and forgot the soap for the dishwasher and another time there was a bug in her bathroom and she wasn’t about risk her life by brushing her teeth. Even though Beca may act like a badass, her reputation completely falters when she is in proximity of a bug. What could she say? Every person has their weakness and Beca’s was hairy legs and monstrous eyes. 

The theater was filled with bustling teenagers, talking animately to their friends and checking the stage for the teacher ever so often. Craning her neck and standing on a chair to see if she could make out his face in the crowd, Beca found him in the front of the room, talking to Benji. Benji was showing him a new magic trick, shuffling the cards around in his hands, but Beca could tell Jesse was only half listening. From time to time, he would scan the room, looking for someone -her-. 

Everytime he did that, she had to hide behind the person in front of her even though it wasn’t that hard because with a stature of only five feet two, Beca could hide almost anywhere. Sometimes she wished she would grow just a little bit more but then she would risk her title of reigning champion of manhunt. Hold your applause. 

Beca never thought she would be happy to see her, but she let out a sigh of relief when she saw Miss Keener approach the stage. Pushing the glasses up upon her face, Miss Keener cleared her throat to call all the students to attention. The room hushed down and the lights dimmed so the only light was centered on her. Pacing the floor, back and forth and back and forth, Miss Keener adjusted her glasses so she could read the folded piece of paper in her hands. Remaining still in the middle of the stage, she eyed everyone in the crowd, taking in every face and choosing her victims wisely. 

“Today, we are going to have a non-traditional lesson. Some of you may have heard the saying, the best way to learn is to teach. Well, today, you all are doing just that,” she scanned the room for any reactions, ready to call anyone out if they did so much as scrunch up their face. She did not tolerate amateurs. That wasn’t what she signed up for. Those kids were going to listen to her and follow out her instructions without as much as a question. She expected a nod and a smile, even if it was forced, as they got to work. 

“The younger campers are preparing for their first showcase and they need your help. The pairs are already matched up based on your last names so there is no changing or trading or whatever you call it with a partner. Part of the business is doing things you don’t like. Suck it up and see it through,” the house lights came back on, making people look down for a second to adjust to the brightness. 

Miss Keener read off the list, sometimes squinting her eyes to see the print more clearly. With every name, a body rose from a seat and made their way towards the stage, where Miss Keener was passing out envelopes with instructions. It didn’t take too long because the class wasn’t too large. 

“Rebecca Mitchell,” Miss Keener called out as Beca stood up from her seat, “and Jesse Swanson.” Her plan to avoid him was ruined but his plan was already in motion.


	7. Chapter 7

If only the class was larger, she wouldn't have been paired with Jesse. What was the chance there would be no other last name that alphabetically fit between Mitchell and Swanson? It was just her luck. I mean...c’mon. 

While all the other students grouped together, talking to their friends animatedly whilst passing around the assignments, Beca, on the other hand, tried her hardest to blend into her seat, sinking lower and lower with every possible second. Even though it was no use trying to hide her face behind her hair or pretend to be furiously looking for something in her bag, it didn’t hurt to try. Jesse was already scanning the room for her.Maybe he wouldn't see her. Maybe she would just be able to slip right out of the...her sentence was cut off when he saw her, ceasing any thoughts of escape routes. 

"Becs," he called, his hand raised in greeting, "We're partners." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, choosing, instead, to stare intently at the assignment. In pairs the older students were assigned to help some of the younger students in the junior showcase prepare for their opening night. It seemed easy enough, a break from their normal mountainous workload. The one problem was...well...Beca wasn’t known to be exactly ‘good’ with kids. 

When she was babysitting the little girl next door a few months ago, cooking pasta and quelling the girl’s requests to play dress up, she almost, by accident, set the entire house on fire. It was on accident, promise. It all started because Beca had no desire to put that itchy, Elsa wig back on. She would’ve died right then and there if anyone saw her, pushing the white, wiry hair away from her face. So, she was able to get the little girl to sit still for a few minutes while she put on the water for some pasta. Beca never really liked to babysit, but it was for a good cause because after hours of babysitting and countless hours of listening to Frozen, she would have enough money saved up to buy a new piece of software. And even if she would never admit it to anyone, dead or alive, Beca Mitchell was pretty proud that she was able to hit all the notes in “Let It Go.” Given, she would never tell anyone she knew the words by heart.

Despite how she was sometimes able to tame the girl, Maddie, as she was called, other times she didn’t do so great of a job. Back to the story...she was cooking pasta, and back at home, Beca never really cooked. Her microwave saved her countless times from pulling out an ice pop and calling it dinner. The chinese food take out place near her house was the only number she had on speed dial. As you could tell, Beca couldn’t cook to save her life. How would she know gas stoves were different from the electric stove she had at home. It wasn’t like she was the type of person to study up on the ins and outs of kitchen appliances. 

She didn’t know the tissue box was right next to the stove. A recipe for disaster, a tissue, blowing from the ceiling fan contacted the fire, caused a slight commotion. It was a good thing Maddie was so engrossed in the movie that she hardly realized Beca had just thrown a burning tissue into the sink, dousing it with water before sighing heavily. 

All she could say was, it was a good thing Maddie didn’t see the incident or else Maddie’s mother would’ve given her the death stare every time she went out to get the mail or take out the trash. 

She doubted Jesse would be any better with children. He was egotistical and altogether quite obnoxious. Sure, she might take a peek everytime he took off his shirt by the lake or catch herself staring at him while he was humming to himself in one of the practice rooms, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a pompous ass. 

“Beca, earth to Beca,” Jesse waved his hand in front of her face, realizing she had completely been consumed by her daydreams, “I know you’re excited to be paired with me, but will you cool it down a little, you’re starting to draw attention.” 

“Swanson, really? Do I look excited,” Beca put on a poker face, her eyes narrowed and she pressed her lips together. The signature death stare. Beca should really get that patented. With a twinkle in his eyes, Jesse reached out and tickled her side, causing her to bite the insides of her mouth to keep a laugh from escaping. 

“I see that smile, Beca,” Jesse released her from his grasp, “Don’t worry...everyone already knows you’re a softie.” Turning on his heel, Jesse started to walk towards the lake, waving out to the group of young campers. Huffing to herself, she ran after him until her own strides matched his own.

There was a slight breeze but truly it was a wonderful day to be outside. The group of kids were sitting together on a blanket with a portable speaker blasting some pop song that sounded just like irritating noise to Beca. It was going to be a long day. 

The five campers circled Jesse as they made their way towards them, one of them turning off the music. Before Beca could even introduce herself, she was attached with a hug by one of the young girls. 

“You’re Beca Mitchell,” the girl pointed straight at her, almost as if stating a fact, “I know you, but you don’t know me.” Jesse raised his eyebrows, watching the young girl as she hopped up onto the nearby rock to gain some more height, although she really didn’t need it because Beca was the size of a dwarf. Wiping her hand on her shorts before sticking it out towards Beca, the girl stated, “I’m Mackenzie Steinheart and one day I’m going to sing just like you.”

Beca, at first, had opened her mouth in shock at the girl’s confidence, before almost smiling at her antics. Sure, she knew she was well known at the camp, but no one never really outright came up to her. They all knew the unspoken rule to never bother her unless she had asked them to do something, they wanted her to help with a track, or if there was dessert in the mess hall. 

Jesse nudged her side, whispering in her ear, “You have one hell of a fan.” Beca shook Mackenzie’s hand, helping her down from the rock, “Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m glad you like my music. Do you and your friends mind showing me and Jesse your performance? We’re gonna help you today, if you want.”

Mackenzie’s eyes glowed with delight and she ushered the rest of the kids into their opening poses, motioning to Jesse to turn on the music. It was almost like this girl was a young Tracy Flick from the film, Election, but Beca would never openly admit to Jesse that she had seen the movie. It was in a moment of weakness that she watched the movie, enthralled by the dark humor. It wasn’t like she liked it...she was Beca Mitchell, and Beca Mitchell didn’t do movies. 

Plus, there was no doubt in her mind that Jesse would drone on and on about the production, editing, and of course, the music. And she didn’t have enough time in the day to listen to his speeches honoring the great composers of the last century. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the start of a song, blasting from the speakers. At least no one around them seemed to mind the volume, since all the other groups seemed to be blind to the rest of the world, their focus solely on the task at hand. Jesse had taken a seat on the floor, his eyes trailing the kids as they danced to the music with Mackenzie at the forefront. Beca, following his lead, plopped down next to him. 

The kids were good, no doubt, but Beca did see some areas for improvement. A movement wasn’t in sync or the spacing was a problem. Over the years, working the music for several different shows, Beca had learned more than she would’ve thought about stage management. Beca was so deep in her thoughts, it was almost if a switch had been turned. 

Jesse knew Beca was good, great even. One second she could be joking with him, insulting his choice of song or mirroring his own witty banter, and the next she was just so attuned to her job. It was something pretty amazing, uniquely Beca. When they were younger it almost freaked him out how she could just turn on that music producer side of herself. He was the exact opposite; Jesse blended his own personality with his work. He liked to joke or have small talk while working, always adding his own commentary, but Beca was able to shut out the world and be fully present to the task.

That’s what she was doing now, he could tell. Her eyes followed the kids as they moved, mentally noting all the adjustments she saw fit. If he was able to have x-ray vision, he would without a doubt see gears spinning in her head. 

“That was great, guys,” Beca said as the song faded out, “There really is something to work with here and I’m pretty sure that if we just fix a couple of things, you’ll be ready for the performance in no time.” Beca went straight to work, popping up from her spot next to him and walking towards the group. Bending down to their level, she spoke to the children, paralleling their own movements before doing her own spin on them. He was so busy watching her, enthralled by her ability to get all the kids to follow her, listen to her, that he didn’t notice that he should actually be doing something. 

“Hey, weirdo,” Beca yelled back at him, her chestnut hair falling to one side of her head as she spun around, “Are you coming or what?”

Jesse almost forget this was Beca, smart-talking, death-staring, movie-hating, Beca. She was the one that he was always up against, the person who always seemed to steal the show. Beca Mitchell was the person that could wind him up with just a single stare, making him feel like he want to wipe that smug smile off her face. Oh god, can she get more annoying?

He tried to push all thoughts about her out of his mind, striding towards the group, without once glancing at Beca. What the hell was this girl doing to him?


	8. Chapter 8

“And that’s a wrap...amazing work, guys,” Jesse said, a smile across his face, “All of you are truly going to be great.”

It had come to the end of their rehearsal time, but both Beca and Jesse felt like the group had a good handle on the routine. For the first few hours, Beca had helped one half of the group work on their vocals. Of course, Mackenzie jumped at the chance to work with THE Beca Mitchell. Her young eyes gleaming as Beca had announced that she was going to work with her first. Pulling a laughing Beca along, Mackenzie sat her down on a rock before beginning her solo. 

Jesse, on the other hand, worked on the choreography, something of which he knew a little about because somehow he had ended up taking dance classes in his hometown. If you asked him, he would swear that he just liked dancing because of the music, but once you saw the genuine smile on his face, you would know that it was something more. 

“It’ll help you when you start a boy band. What are you thinking...more One Direction or 5 Seconds of Summer because I’m getting a Harry Styles vibe,” Beca had joked with him non stop once she had heard he was enrolled in dance classes. “All you need to perfect is the hair flip and you will have millions of girls drooling.”

To that comment, Jesse had winked back at her, smirking ever so slightly. So that’s how you want to play it, Mitchell. Jesse was always up to the challenge. Taken aback by his reaction Beca retaliated, “Of course, I am not included in those millions of girls...but keep dreaming, loverboy.” With that, Beca had turned on her heel and walked off, fully aware that she had won that round. Beca 1. Jesse 0. 

For now, the sun was falling lower and lower in the sky and Jesse wanted nothing more than a snack. They had been at it for hours and not like he was complaining, because it was much better than being yelled out back in class, but he really was in need of some food. The energy of the kids was dwindling as much as Jesse’s energy was, all except for Mackenzie because she had cornered Beca against a tree, quizzing her on her favorite artists at the time. Jesse thought Beca deserved an award for not killing the girl yet because if he knew Beca at all, she was already running through ways to either escape the girl or find a way to cause a temporary accident that would make her stop talking.

Beca was still working with some of the girls, her clear voice ringing throughout the field. When she had first started singing, all heads had been turned to her as she seemingly drew an audience without even knowing it. Beca was too focused on reading the music, her eyes calculating what harmonies would sound good or where she could have one kid solo, to realize the attention and even if she did, she didn’t seem to care. When she finished, everyone returned to what they were doing, but still clearly moving within earshot to hear her if she decided to sing again. 

Mackenzie was less discreet. Way less discreet. Jesse swore that she had formed some god complex around Beca, watching her every move and hanging to her every word. In turn, Beca had pretty much ignored it but did make eye contact with Jesse and laugh a little every time Mackenzie tried to show off or attempt to get Beca to talk about her newest mix. 

Jesse, surrounded by the remaining girls, felt under attack. With wide eyes and crazy smiles they complimented his personality and then his voice and then his hair. He felt like he needed a fly swatter to keep them away. In fact, probably swatting flies would be easier than keeping those girls away. Beca just laughed at him, giving him a knowing look that she would never let him live this down. He was dreading the time they were out of the kids’ earshot.

At the perfect moment, Chloe came up the the group, whose members, over the hours had slowly started to sit down on the rocks, their feet aching from the dance moves. All she had to say was “snacks” for Jesse to shoot up from his spot, almost toppling the redhead over with his momentum. 

“Jeez, Jesse. Calm yourself.” Her words were unnoticed by Jesse, who had already grabbed a handful of bags of popcorn before returning to his spot of matted grass underneath the tree. He heard over the crashing waves Beca thank Chloe for the food before coming next to and making herself comfortable next to him, but not too close. As if they were chicks following their mother hen, the other kids followed suit and ended up circling both Beca and Jesse, smiles dashing their faces from the food they were stuffing in their mouths. 

“Hey, Becs,” Jesse said, her head turning at the sound of her name, “Catch.” With a moment’s notice, Beca arched her neck to catch the kernel as it hurtled directly towards her, chomping on the popcorn with a smirk. Arching an eyebrow in response, Jesse tossed another one in her direction only to be amazed once again. For a girl that he was pretty sure had never played a sport in her life, Beca Mitchell had some pretty good hand-eye coordination.

He was asking for it, he couldn’t complain. Beca followed his lead, taking one piece of her own popcorn and tossing in the direction of Jesse’s mouth. Jesse was pretty sure he was going to catch it because he had a ton of practice in the theaters waiting for his movie to start, but he guessed wrong. The popcorn hit him smack in the eye, falling into the grass next to him. 

“If you’re going to challenge someone, Swanson,” he knew Beca would have some witty remark at the snap of her hand, “You better be up to the challenge, yourself. Bow down to the master.” Conceding to his defeat, Jesse clapped her on while she copied the wave of a princess to her adoring subjects. The rest of the kids laughed, picking up their heads ever so slightly from the bed of grass. 

Suddenly, one of the girls, Nicole, blurted out, “Jesse, are you and Beca dating? Because Avril said that you guys were but I didn’t think so but then Amanda said that Ryan said that you two were…”

Jesse was about to say that no, him and Beca weren’t dating but Beca said it first. “Avril’s wrong. We aren’t dating...never have,” Beca said. She swore she could hear Rachel whisper, “Now we can have him all to ourselves,” but she tried to ignore it. Jesse backed Beca up, nodding alongside her. End of discussion? Nicole didn’t think so.

“Well. You like Jesse, don’t you, Beca? Because then I could tell Avril that she doesn’t have a chance with Jesse,” Nicole continued. For a brief second, something rare glazed over Beca’s face: shock. She didn’t know what to say or do. Sometimes she liked him, liked how his voice was as smooth as silk when he sang or how he was able to go head to head with her with her sarcastic remarks. On occasion she enjoyed how he would always push her to be better, how his passion matched her own but no, she did not like Jesse. Jesse. Swanson, really. He was nothing to her but an annoyance who woke her up in the morning and knew how to push all her buttons. 

It was silent for a moment, Jesse’s eyes watching her every move to see what she would say. In the back of his mind, against all good judgement, he hoped she would say ‘yes’. Actually, the line between a good pause and awkward silence was almost crossed when Beca’s sported her signature smirk, staring straight in Jesse’s eyes and responded, “Sometimes, but only on occasion.” 

At least it was better than nothing and for now, Jesse could live with that.


	9. Chapter 9

“Alright, class. Settle down. Settle Down.” Miss Keener’s voice rang through the theater, demanding the attention of every one of the students. A silence washed over the group like a wave as all attention was turned to the woman in the front. 

Tapping a pen to her clipboard, her lips pressed together in a smooth line. Miss Keener continued, “The showcase went well, very well I might add.”

She was right. The showcase the previous night went extremely well, almost without a hitch. The acts knew the lineup, their stage positions, and most importantly, their routines. 

The older campers watched from the wings, applauding wildly when the group they had coached appeared on the stage. When Mackenzie and the rest of the group emerged, clad in matching costumes, she was nothing but proud. Jesse looked at her with a knowing grin before diverting his eyes to the group. 

He watched them, clapping along to the beat while his eyes were dancing with light. Who would’ve ever thought he and her would almost be on speaking terms. 

Watching them yesterday only made Beca flashback to her first showcase all those years ago, when the two of them could hardly stand to be in the same room as the other.

It had been her first year at camp, when she was 11, which was the same year she had that riff off incident with Jesse. 

Due to her age, many people were nervous about her taking the stage. No one was sure how she could hold herself during the pressures of being front and center, but she proved that she had the capacity and the skill to hold her own when the first lights centered upon her.

Walking towards her cabin, which looked almost new all those years ago, Beca had pulled her bag towards her chest, holding it tightly. Her headphones were in there and she would surely murder someone if they got their hands on them. 

Even at only 11 she still had the spunk that had only grown as she aged. 

Her parents had said their goodbyes, promising to call her every week. There was something off about them. Mr. Mitchell wasn’t the one to yell, but for the past few months his voice had been raised towards her one too many times more than usual. But now, after months of yelling and screaming between her two parents, they almost seemed calm. 

Beca didn’t put it together that they had started the process of getting a divorce, only finding out a little while later, which caused her to lash out a Jesse during the riff off, ultimately leading to their rivalry.

Nothing had been good at home for awhile.

Her mother had retreated towards her office more often than usual. When Beca got home from school, happy to share a new song she had found on the radio, her mother wasn’t making her a snack like usual. She missed having those apples, perfectly sliced up with peanut butter and cinnamon.

Those were the times Beca used to ramble on and on about music class or beg for piano lessons. Those were her times with her mom and recently, she just seemed so distant. 

They had been the perfect, American family, white picket fence and all. Beca’s dad worked at the local college, teaching English Literature. Not only did her father love his job, but he couldn’t see himself doing anything else. 

From a young age Beca was taught about Hamlet and Things Fall Apart. Their dinners would consist of Mr. Mitchell trying to get Beca to read a new book, preferably one of the classics. She was the first girl in her grade to learn how to read, all thanks to the daily reading sessions with her dad.

He would prop her high on his shoulders, telling her to close her eyes and then pick out a book from the bookshelf that spanning the entirety of the room. Most of the time she read them, her father stopping every line or so to explain to her what was happening. 

On her 7th birthday, her father brought her home a dog, which they called Atticus after Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Her parents had never seen her smile as big as she did when she opened the giant box wrapped in colorful paper, holes sticking out of the top.

That’s how they went for years. Her parents were part of the PTA, baking cakes for bake sales and chaperoning on Beca’s field trips. Every year they vacationed to somewhere new, filling up their passports with each trip. 

Beca especially liked Germany, taking a liking to the country and to the language. She even started to learn German.

But when she was 11, everything changed. They wouldn’t go the park anymore, Atticus wagging his tail along the way. They no longer had reading time at the end of the night, her father preferring to hang out in the basement, watching football or whatever.

Her mother took to spending time in her office more and more, leaving Beca to wander around the house with nothing to do many times than not. 

Frozen dinners were a new thing as well.

At first Beca liked her kid cuisine, enjoying the brownies that always came with the dinner, all wrapped up in the blue packaging. The sprinkles were yummy and her parents didn’t notice when she took a glass of coke from the fridge. 

Soon enough though, the food got soggy and she longed for her mother to cook one of her famous meals. 

She longed for her family back.

When they thought she couldn’t hear them, they would whisper insults to each other, spewing hate across the dinner table. The whispers turned to yelling and the only thing Beca could find to stop the screaming were her headphones, blasting the music until she couldn’t hear the dischord downstairs.

One night, when all the screaming was coming to a close, her father returning the basement and her mother returning to her room, Beca whispered something into the night that she hoped no one heard her say out loud. 

She wanted them to break up, 

...to end the terror that had transformed her once happy home.

Sure enough, they did but not before her mother started seeing a therapist, telling Beca that it was just a friend who wanted to listen. Beca knew what a therapist was, she was old enough to understand. Her father, on the other hand, turned to a bottle, soothing his pain. 

Beca felt like it almost turned her father into liquid, pooling up under her until she couldn’t breathe.

That’s why, a month before there were callbacks for Stagedoor Woods, Beca sent in a clip of her singing. Since she didn’t have a computer to herself, she snuck away to use her mother’s computer, recording her voice and then burning it to a flashdrive.

Accompanying her mother to the post office to buy some stamps, she was able to swipe one, letting her envelope enclosed with the flashdrive and most importantly, her way out of her house, drop into the darkness.

Only a few weeks later she was accepted, with a full ride. 

They wanted a girl to be in a commercial for them, to talk about her experience at the camp and the executives thought Beca was the girl to go to. She was young enough to look innocent on camera and old enough to listen to directions, as well as having a killer voice.

It was an understatement to say her mother was shocked, her father brushing it off. ‘Beca, you’re too young,’ she would say but Beca learned to drown out the world with her headphones and sure enough, her mom caved and before she knew it she was driving up to Stagedoor Woods.

She had fun, learning about music and for once, her headphones were only allotted for music and not used as devices to block out the yelling. 

The entire summer she had been practicing her solo, working hard at any opportunity she had. She like it, really. Sometimes it would bother her that she didn’t have many friends, not until Chloe showed up a few summers later. Most of the time she blocked out the lonely nights and the times she spent locked up in her cabin while other kids sang campfire songs. That only meant more time to work and Beca liked that. 

Given, she was much younger than all the other girls. She didn’t have a boyfriend or was planning on buying a dress to prom. Heck, most of those girls were already college searching while she was still gearing up to go to middle school. 

It was a miracle she actually got accepted into the camp, sending an audition video in by herself, without her parent’s knowledge. Her mother had wanted her to go to some local camp, spending the long summer days with her classmates. 

No. 

Beca wanted more, not just to be stuck doing crafts or playing on the slip and slide. Beca wanted to be challenged, to be something special. Plus, she wanted to get away, to sleep far away from the house that she once called a home.

Finding a pamphlet for Stagedoor Woods tacked up on the bulletin board in the community center for the arts, she wanted nothing more than to go there. Turning over a trashcan to give her the much needed height, she was finally able to reach the brochure, jumping down from the trashcan with a smile on her face. 

Her mother was trying to buy a giftcard for some birthday or another so Beca had the perfect opportunity to slip the pamphlet in her boot, rolling it up so it wouldn’t crease. Making sure her mother wasn’t watching, she tucked the paper away safely, only to pull it out the second they got home.

That’s how it happened. That’s how she found some light, something to work for.

At her showcase, her mother was only there. Weeks prior they had told her about the divorce but Beca didn’t realize her father wouldn’t be coming.

For a second she felt water well up in the side of her eye, rubbing them profusely until she took a deep breath and waited for the music to begin.

She was amazing, spectacular, the one who stole the show. People couldn’t stop commenting on how young she was, how bright her future was.

The truth was, with every dance move and note hit, all Beca was able to think about was how if she was so good, so wonderful, her father would regret not coming. She wanted him to feel bad, to hurt like she was hurt by him.

But everyone else saw her as spectacular, just a girl with a dream. 

Jesse was disappointed when Beca took home the trophy, wanting to please his whole family and extended family who had came out to support him. She took everything from him and all he wanted was to stop her from stealing everything from him. This was his moment, but why did she have to steal that as well?

His mother talked about how wonderful Beca was, how he should try to befriend her. The next summer he would work twice as hard, he was resolved. He wanted to beat that smirk off Beca’s face.

Little did he know, that smirk was hiding something so much deeper underneath.


	10. Chapter 10

He was trying to kill her. There was no other explanation. His stupid face and his stupid smirk and stupid Him was about to drive her insane.

Why was he always just there? When she went to grab a snack at the mess hall, there he was, feet kicked up on the benches. Tapping his fingers to the song blasting from the speakers and talking animatedly to the handful of other students, Jesse winked at her before returning to his conversation. 

She hated him. 

She wanted to throw him and his smirk off the dock.

Later, when she tried to get some alone time in one of the practices rooms, he was there with his laptop, a movie projecting onto the screen. Popcorn in hand, he hugged a pillow to his chest as the movie continued. The only lights that illuminated his face were from the screen that his eyes seemed glued to. 

For these last few times Beca had just taken a deep breath, turning around and heading the direction she had come. She did not need to see his smug expression any more than she had to.

It was the third time that made her seriously contemplate strangling him. It was a real option, maybe the only option. Beca had tried to sneak away towards the kayaks, hoping that maybe she could find some peace and quiet. She wanted to work on some new mixes but with all the noise from the cabins, she had to find somewhere else to work, preferably somewhere where no one would bother her. 

He was there. Of fucking course. Why did she ever expect life to be easy?

“Stalker,” she huffed, curling the cords of her headphones around her fingers and stomping off towards her cabin. 

…..

“Chloe,” Beca swung open the cabin door, hurdling herself onto her bed face first, “Make him leave me alone.”

Chloe swung her feet around, sitting up on the side of the bed. Wordlessly she already knew who the infamous “He” was. Popping a handful of blueberries into her mouth, and consequently handing a couple to Beca, she said, “Just pretend he doesn’t exist. Give him the famous Mitchell stare. Not even Jesse could hold his own for more than a few seconds.”

Chloe earned a grin from Beca who propped a pillow behind her head, doing her own version of parkour to reach for more blueberries without having to actually sit up. 

“Don’t be so sure, Chlo. He is more immune than you think.”

In response, Chloe only let out a sigh. “You know, Beca,” she began, “You really only have two options. You can stick it out the rest of the summer but know that it involves lots of unnecessary glares and more yelling than I think my ears can handle.”

Beca cut her off, “Can’t you see that’s what I’m doing now? How do you think it’s working out for me?”

Chloe jumped off her own bed and onto Beca’s, stealing Beca’s other pillow as her own. “You didn’t let me finish,” Chloe rolled her eyes, “Or...you could just kiss him and finally become a couple, which has been inevitable since you two were kids.”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Beca had pushed her off the bed, making Chloe land on a pile of Beca’s laundry. It didn’t hurt. Beca doesn't like to do laundry. 

“Have you been living under a rock,” Beca laughed right then and there, “What tension are you seeing? Kiss him? Really? Can’t I just stick to my avoidance method. It hasn’t failed me too much as of now.”

Chloe propped herself up on the side of her bed, her legs outstretched in front of her. “Oh please, Beca. Ever since that campfire the two of you have been acting weirder than usual, and that’s saying a lot. Just get it over with and do it quickly. I don’t think I can stand another one of your staring contests during breakfast. I just want to eat my cereal in peace!”

Beca had already pulled her headphones over her ears, making a point to increase the volume so much that Chloe could hear the music. Chloe was used to it, and she was determined to get through to Beca. Over the last few days it felt like World War III between the two of them. Of course she would have to side with Beca, but she would much rather have a summer of relaxing on the beach and sleeping in the hammocks than what would eventually happen if the two of them didn’t resolve their issues.

“You know you don’t have to permanently damage your hearing just to prove a point,” Chloe huffed, pushing herself onto her own bed and pulling Beca’s headphones off her head. There was a slight chance that Beca would seriously injure her for that, but Chloe was willing to take the chance. “When it comes to you and Jesse, you both act like kindergarteners who think the other has cooties.”

Chloe knew that when Beca closed off there was no point in talking to her. It would be more efficient to talk to a brick wall. “You could cut the tension between the two of you with a knife it is so thick,” Chloe said one more time before she turned over on her bed, returning to scrolling through the latest Instagram posts.   
…..

They had made it a point to sit as far from one another as possible. Whatever tingly feeling Beca had around Jesse would be gone if she just made sure to stay away from him...right? Anyways, she squinted to see the clock. It was almost time for class to start and she was watching ever last tick and tock because she could feel a certain someone’s eyes trailed on her. He was truly a stalker. 

She should keep a lookout for him on Dateline. That may be his future if he continues staring at her. 

He liked to make her uncomfortable. You might even call it a hobby. She tapped her pen on the side of her notebook, staring at the clock far longer than any other normal person. She must’ve thought he didn’t see her glance over at him every couple of seconds, but he was well aware.

He smiled.

“Duets. They are a blessing and a curse for many and today, class, you have to prove to me that you actually have some collaborative skills. You can’t be the best unless there is someone else to step on, but before you do, make sure you learn from them.” Miss Keener’s voice commanded the attention of all of the students. As if a wave ripped over the entire class, everyone became silent. In his opinion you could hear a pin drop a mile or two away.

Jesse was now in the process of throwing crumpled up pieces of paper at her back. She could feel the heat rising in her face, as her brows furrowed and her hands turned to fists. She was trying to pay attention...for once...and he was not making it too easy.

“Miss Mitchell and Mr. Swanson, stop trying to disrupt the rest of the class. Unlike other people, you two have never been known to be good at duets. I’ve looked at past programs and performances and you two are always solo performances, opting for the spotlight set for one rather than for the rest of the ensemble,” Miss Keener paced the floor, pausing every few seconds to stare the next victim directly in the face.

She pointed her manicured finger at one of the kids in the second row. “Well, c’mon then,” she motioned for the student to start talking, “Don’t make me say it twice.”

Beca scowled, crossing her arms across her chest. 

“Hey, partner,” Jesse said, throwing her a juice pouch, “Ready to get to work?”


	11. Chapter 11

“Beca, you can’t just sit there with your arms crossed,” Jesse pulled his seat closer to hers, “We have to pick something.” They had been going at it for hours. The first hour he just threw popcorn at her while she worked on her laptop and the following hour he had tried to get her to laugh, suggesting songs like “Fancy” by Iggy and “Gangnam Style” by Psy. 

“Mitchell, I’m not spending all day in here. I’m going to pick it if you don’t answer in the next minute,” Jesse huffed as he returned to his laptop, “How about Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson’s 1986 classic, ‘Friends and Lovers’?” 

He awaited her smile and eventually, the corner of her mouth turned slightly upwards. 

“Friends and/or lovers?” he questioned.

“God, no,” she responded, a grin still present on her face.

“She can talk,” he threw his hands up to the Gods, “Then, we are doing ‘Somethin’ Stupid’ by Frank and Nancy Sinatra.”

“Really, Swanson? How clique can you be? Can we do some real music?” Beca put down her own laptop to face him, a goofy grin on his face. 

He was having none of her sass. They were doing that song. 

Jesse began singing, his voice echoing in the empty practice room, “I know I stand in line until you think you have the time to spend an evening with me.” He strummed on the guitar he had conveniently left right near his chair. He kneeled on the floor until his eyes were level with hers.

She covered her eyes with her hands, trying her best to not let a giggle escape from under her breath. A giggle...Beca Mitchell does not giggle.

But she did. 

Jesse continued, putting down the guitar, “And if we go someplace to dance, I know that there's a chance  
You won't be leaving with me.”

He took her hands, spinning her around. By the time he finished the line, she was following his lead, twirling under his hand like a little girl. She couldn’t contain her laughter, even to tell him that she was still against doing the song.

…..

He didn’t listen. He never did. 

The class was seated in the auditorium, restly tapping their pencils. This performance can either be mind-boggling and a duet you’ll remember long after the summer was over, or it would be a complete disaster. Either way, the class was excited to watch what was going to happen.

The lights dimmed, revealing Beca sitting on a seat on the center of the stage. No one could get a read on her. While some of the people couldn’t wait to hear her sing, others were secretly hoping to watch Jesse and Beca brawl it out. There was no doubt who would win that fight.

Jesse entered from the right wing of the stage, a lavalier microphone clipped to his front pocket. When the music started playing, no one could believe that Beca Mitchell had agreed to this song, but they put this idea to the back of their mind as Jesse began singing.

“I know I stand in line until you think you have the time to spend an evening with me,” Jesse circled around Beca and she continued to cross her arms, turning away from him. If you were up close to them, you would see a hint of a smile graze her face. 

Jesse got on one knee, putting his hand out to her, and much to the audience’s surprise, she took it. “And if we go someplace to dance, I know that there's a chance you won't be leaving with me,” he pulled her up so she was standing right next to him. 

Taking her hands in his own, they started to dance around the stage, “And afterwards we drop into a quiet little place and have a drink.”

“or two,” Beca immediately continued. Laughter fell over the stage as the audience continued watching the performance. 

“And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like ‘I love you’,” Beca turned away when he sang those three little words. Still, he continued singing to her despite her retreat.

Jesse’s voice rang out through the theater, commanding the attention of all the students, “I can see it in your eyes that you despise the same old lies you heard the night before.” With that, Beca turned around to meet his gaze, letting out a surprised, short breath when he put his arm on the small of her back, pulling her so that she was inches away from him. 

“And though it's just a line to you, for me it's true and never seemed so right before,” he continued, latching his gaze to her own.

Beca sang out, but continued to keep her eyes glued to Jesse’s, “I practice every day to find some clever lines to say to make the meaning come through. But then I think I'll wait until the evening gets late and I'm alone with you.”

“The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and, oh, the night's so blue And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like ‘I love you’. The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and, oh, the night's so blue And then I go and spoil it all by sayin' something stupid like ‘I love you’,” Jesse sang while holding her tight. 

The two of them were oblivious at the ogling from both male and female students alike. They were in their own little world. 

Jesse smiled, singing, “I love you...I love you...I love you.” He was going to sing the last ‘I love you’ as they had previously planned, but much to his surprise, Beca sang the words, ‘I love you.’

Her voice rang out clear and for a second, Jesse was stunned. Before he could do anything she smiled, winked at him and ran off the stage.

One thing was certain...he was whipped.


	12. Chapter 12

She could try to blame it on the adrenaline from the performance, but even Beca knew that that would be a lie. 

What she did next even stunned her. It was almost if her mind and her body were disconnected. She thought that he was stupid and aggravating. Sometimes he was too persistent when it came to her and she wanted him to wipe that childish grin off his face. She hated the wave his voice could fill a room and she definitely hated the way he glanced at her when he thought she wasn’t looking. She hated him...except maybe she didn’t. 

Maybe she really didn’t.

Her heart and mind were both running a thousand miles per minute when she saw him running to follow her. A goofy grin adorned his face as he stopped short in front of her.

She did the exact opposite of what her brain was telling her to do; she put one hand behind his head, grasping his tufts of brown hair between her fingers, and pulled his face to meet her own. One of his hands rubbed his thumb on her arm, sending shivers down her spine. The other hand was placed on the small of her back, pulling her as close as she could be to him. 

Beca was going crazy. She knew it was happening; she could feel it, but yet, she didn’t seem to care.

Beca wouldn’t say it was fireworks, but to Beca, it was not possible to see fireworks after a kiss. All she knew was that she was happy. She could feel her skin start to tingle wherever his skin touched her own. 

It was surprising when he began to pull away. Beca thought he was an idiot, more of an idiot that usual. Finally, Jesse had worn her after trying to annoy her for so long, only to back away mid-kiss.

Idiot.

Reluctantly, he stepped back, still managing to kiss her hair and her neck and every part of her, while beginning to speak. To Jesse, she was intoxicating. 

What he said, Beca never could’ve expected.

“Oh shit, Beca,” he said, holding her face in his hands, “I had this whole romantic moment planned out and everything. I didn’t know you were going to do that. Sit down...I promise you...just trust me.”

With that, he led her towards an empty seat in the first row, kissing her hard before retreating back towards the stage. By now, she had no idea what was happening, and she had no idea why she liked kissing the weirdo as much as she did, but she decided to just go with it. For once, Beca was not going to protest. 

“Becs,” he began, “I knew you didn’t really want to do that song, so I hope you’ll like this one a little bit more.”

When the music started to play from the speakers, Beca couldn’t help but laugh. Jesse Swanson was singing Ignition. Jesse Swanson was singing R. Kelly. Jesse Swanson was going to rap. 

Jesse grinned from center stage as his friends crowded around him, “Now, usually I don't do this but uh....Go head' on and break em off wit a lil' preview of the remix....”

He was really much more nerdier than she had ever expected. He jumped off the stage, “No I'm not trying to be rude, but hey pretty girl I'm feeling you,” and took her hands in his own. 

By now, all the girls were swooning, but with Jesse singing only to her, it was easy for Beca to block them all out. She didn’t even notice Chloe taking a picture of the two of them. Within seconds, she had already posted it to Instagram. 

What the hell was happening to her. She was soft. Beca was becoming a softie.

Jesse knew that she was always a softie.

“The way you do the things you do reminds me of my Lexus coupe. That's why I'm all up in yo grill, tryin’a get you to a hotel. You must be a football coach, the way you got me playing the field.”

By now, all his friends were signing behind him, blending their voices together into a seamless melody. She never knew R. Kelly could sound so beautiful and she didn’t know that he could rap. She would admit, that to anyone who wasn’t a singer and didn’t have a love of theater, he would look like a complete moron. With his boy band moves, Jesse sure did not look badass. To Beca, she didn’t care.

“So baby gimme that toot toot. Lemme give you that beep beep. Running her hands through my 'fro, bouncing on 24's,” Jesse had gotten her to stand up, leading the way onto the stage, back into the chair that had still been there from their previous performance. 

“While they say on the radio...It's the remix to ignition. Hot and fresh out the kitchen. Mama rolling that body got every man in here wishing,” Jesse and the other guys got down on their knees, all singing straight to her. 

She was going to kill him.

She knew that eyes were peering at her from the entire class and she would attempt to murder Jesse when she had the chance, but right now, she let it slide.

“Sipping on coke and rum..I'm like so what I'm drunk. It's the freaking weekend baby. I'm about to have me some fun.” By then, Jesse had pulled her up, spinning her around the stage. She didn’t know what had gotten into her. She had to get psychoanalyzed when this was over, but for now, she just laughed along.

Jesse got down on his knees, singing eye to eye with her. The other guys ran into the crowd, getting the entire audience to stand up and clap. 

“Now it's like murder she wrote. Once I get you out them clothes, privacy is on the door.” If Beca wasn’t so happy, she would’ve killed him when he pushed her plaid shirt off the tops of her shoulders, proceeding to kiss them. 

“Still they can hear you screaming more. Girl I'm feeling what you feeling. No more hoping and wishing. I'm bout to take my key and stick it in the ignition.”

“Gross,” she whispered to him, earning her a smile.

“Girl we off in this jeep, fogging windows up, blasting the radio. In the back of my truck, bouncing up and down,” Jesse sang, ignoring the audience of cat calls behind him. 

“Whoa. You are moving kinda fast,” Beca said so only Jesse could hear her, a smile on both of their faces.

“Stroke it round and round,” he sang, winking at her as Beca just rolled her eyes.

“To the remix...we just thuggin it out…”

By the time the music faded out and the crowd began to cheer, she knew one thing...she liked him. She really did. 

She also knew that she had to go to a psychoanalyst to make sure that she was okay.


	13. Chapter 13

She didn’t know what had gotten into her. It was as if her whole ‘leave me alone’ vibe melted away, ever so slightly. Beca had finally given in and she could tell, she made the right decision. 

She would never admit it to anyone, but she liked the way she would sit on his lap during the campfire, his arms wrapped around her. Even though she scowled when he would steal a marshmallow off her stick, it was enough to just see his eyes light up in delight. He had also gotten into the habit of kissing her as payment, something that she wasn’t going to complain about. 

Maybe she liked how he would throw her juice pouches before class, sometimes stuck with post-it notes of songs or movies she should check out. He would never find out that she kept each one of them, filling up a shoebox under her bed.

Beca would deny it if you ever asked her, but she was happy.

He made her happy. 

The rest of the summer felt like the weeks turned to minutes and the days turned to seconds. Soon enough, it was time to start the lengthy process of packing up. Jesse watched from her bed as Beca chucked clothes into her suitcase, not even bothering to fold them.

“You remember this?” He asked, reaching up to grab a clam shell she had placed on her shelf.

It was about three days or so after his infamous performance. She was getting better at letting him put his arm around her in the mess hall, still a little jittery with all the looks she would get from her fellow campers. He was getting better at letting her sleep in the morning, slipping in to leave her a coffee and bagel on her desk for her first class.

They were in sync...totally and completely. 

Even Beca couldn’t deny it. 

That day, Jesse had suggested that the two of them spend their free afternoon kayaking on the lake. Jesse, knowing Beca, already knew what she was going to say...and he had planned accordingly. 

“You have to promise,” she said, eyeing the lifejackets with a darkness in her eyes, “Jesse...promise.”

“Yes, Bec. If you come with me, I will do your laundry for two weeks. Now can you get in the kayak?”

With a huff, she took his hand as he led her onto the plastic death trap. She crossed her arms, pulling the baseball cap over her eyes. Beca Mitchell was not one for sun. 

He followed her, a grin present on his face. As they pulled out of the docks, he started to hum “My Girl” which made her scowl soften, ever so slightly. 

It would’ve been a perfect afternoon if one of them could actually kayak. Instead, he rowed one way and she rowed the other. He rowed harder and she pretty much gave up. They ended up just spinning in circles, still tied to the dock, 20 feet away.

She didn’t mind.

Beca enjoyed the low gurgle of the water as the oars made contact with the salty abyss. She enjoyed how the sun danced on the top of Jesse’s head, lightening his chocolate locks. Beca even was okay with the threat of the snapping turtle that had caused an uproar in the camp the previous day.

He had tried to find her a pearl, but there weren’t any oysters around. Also, there probably weren’t pearls in the small, saltwater lake by the camp. He did find her a clam shell and she was more than happy with that.

…..

“Of course I remember,” she responded, glancing at him from inside her closet. She was buried in a series of tops and shorts and jeans, covered head to toe in a tower of garments.

“How about this one?” He called out, picking up the curled guitar string from her dresser, unravelling it in his hands.

…..

“Jesse, you’re tightening it too much,” Beca said, shielding her face from the guitar. They had snuck away from the evening activities, finding solitude in his cabin as he promised to play her a song.

They had grown accustomed to each other's presence rather quickly. When they would first sneak away at night, Chloe almost had several panic attacks. It wasn’t her fault that she thought Beca was eaten by a bear. In her defense, her friend was pretty small. Now, Chloe knew that, in fact, Beca was alive, winking at her friend when she returned to the cabin later at night. 

“No, I’m not. Just you watch,” he replied, strumming once before twisting the tuning peg once more. Much to his dismay, the string popped off, hitting Beca right across her face.

“Told you,” she huffed, apply pressure to the reddening spot. 

Jesse, unlike Beca, was not composed in the slightest.

“Beca!” He yelled, “There is no cell service here. I can’t call an ambulance. Beca. Beca!”

Before she could tell him that the worst that would happen was that she would get a black and blue, she felt his arms wrap under her, picking her up bridal style. He carried her from his cabin, past the lake, and even pass the display of freshly baked cookies in the mess hall. 

“Beca. Say something,” his eyes were wide with desperation, “I took a CPR class last year.”

He had deposited her on one of the cots in the infirmary, continuing to throw bandages here and there, searching for an eye patch. 

Placing it gently on her slightly swollen eye, Jesse continued, “I’ve only practiced on CPR dummies, but I can save you... I think.”

Watching him in such a frenzy, Beca couldn’t contain the laugh that was bubbling to the surface and when she started, she couldn’t stop.

Jesse just stood over her, his head tilted slightly to the side.

“Come here, you weirdo,” Beca laughed as she kissed him straight on the lips.

Between kisses, she heard him mumble under his breath, “You are the sexiest pirate I’ve ever seen.”

…..

“Oh, I remember that,” Beca said, throwing a handful of jeans into her open suitcase, “You made me wear that eye patch for a week.”

Jesse laughed in response. “But see, you’re all better now,” he kissed her head, before pulling her on top of him on her bed. 

Together, they stayed, as he played with the ends of her hair and she trailed a finger over his arm. 

“I don’t want to go,” she whispered and before she could even elaborate, he continued, “I don’t want you to go.”

…..

It was the day after his performance to her and they were both sitting in detention. They didn’t even know they had detention at summer camp. Turns out, Miss Keener wasn’t thrilled with the whole, “disgusting, inappropriate, brain cell melting lyrics” of “Ignition” and she sure did not approve of the “sex eyes” the two of them were giving each other.

So, here they were, putting away the lifejackets and kayaks in the boathouse. It was late and it was probably against camp policy to make them stay past 11 PM, but rules didn’t matter to Miss Keener. She had said that they were to leave at 12 PM at the latest. She did have to teach them tomorrow morning and they needed to be wide awake. 

“Beca,” Jesse whined, slipping his finger under her cover up, under the ties of her black bikini. 

“Jesse. No,” she commanded him, returning to stacking the lifejackets on the shelf. 

He was persistent. She would give him that. He came up behind her, placing little kisses on her neck, brushing her hair to the side. 

She froze for a second, under the spell of his touch, before returning back to her task. She would not give him his way. 

“Beca,” he whispered in his ears, his voice low and his eyes clouded with desire. She turned around to look at him, the soft glow from the lantern only illuminating half his face. 

“Jesse,” she responded, turning around to face him, his body inches from her own.

“Beca,” he said, placing his hands on her waist, letting his fingertips brush over her exposed skin.

“Jesse,” Beca responded, her voice almost too soft for him to hear.

“Beca,” he tried one last time, brushing the fallen strand away from her eyes.

“Oh, what the hell,” she smiled, standing on her tippy toes to kiss him. The warmth of his arms folded around her, picking her up so her legs wrapped around his own. 

Let’s just say that they were at the boathouse for much longer than midnight.

…..

Before he fell asleep, holding her close, he whispered, his head in her hair, “I love you.”

He didn’t think she heard him, her breathing hushed, but in fact, she turned around, kissing him gently. 

Even if she didn’t say it back at the time, her actions spoke louder than words.

…..

Now, the sun shown through her window, bouncing off the two of them as they laid on her bed. 

“Come to Boston with me,” he said, twirling her hand on his finger, “I know you got in. I saw the acceptance letter while you were packing.”

Beca looked up at him, meeting his gaze with her own. 

He continued rambling, hoping that if he continued talking, she wouldn’t verbalize the response that he didn’t want to hear. 

“Boston University is 10 minutes away. We could wear Yankees gear to Red Sox games and stuff our faces at Quincy Hall. There is even a ghost tour at the Boston Common…”

“Jess,” she stopped him, “What about New York University? That was your dream.” Beca propped herself up on her elbows, adjusting herself so that she was over him.

He was quiet for a second, the words still not being able to formulate from his mouth. If he said it out loud, it was real. 

She understood, knowing what he would say before he could say it.

“Yes,” she said, resting her face on his chest. The steady beat of his heart silenced her mind and quelled his racing dreams.

…..

“If you don’t call,” Chloe said, her finger pointing Beca straight in the eye, “I will personally come down to Boston, pulling the two of you out of your love shack and kick you all the way back to Portland.”

Chloe’s face returned back to it’s less demonic looking state as she pulled Beca into a hug, “I’ll miss you so much.”

“I’ll miss you too, Chlo,” Beca laughed, her hand still holding to to Jesse’s. 

“And you,” Chloe moved to stand in front of Jesse.

“What the hell happened this summer? The two of you wanted to rip out each other’s guts and now,” she motioned between the two of them, “this….whatever this is.”

Beca threw her last suitcase in Jesse’s car, opening the passenger door, “I’ve learned to just go with it.”

Chloe left, waving at the two of them as she got in her own car, packed with her matching luggage. 

The roar of the engine of his car broke the tender silence of chirping birds and retreating waves as the two of them made their way to The Walking City. She slapped his arm gently when he started playing “Something Stupid,” changing the track to “Ignition.” One thing was sure, they were ready to leave behind the summer for a new adventure.


End file.
